


The Wrong Tree

by SLWalker



Series: Arch to the Sky [69]
Category: due South
Genre: Arch to the Sky, Chicago (1998), Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-04
Updated: 2011-10-04
Packaged: 2017-10-24 07:35:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/260728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLWalker/pseuds/SLWalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>July 1998: Francesca is still trying to get Turnbull's attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Wrong Tree

Francesca Vecchio was on the phone.

Turnbull kept mistaking her for someone else; he switched to French anytime she called the Consulate. It had gotten to the point where she had to pass off the information she was trying to inquire about to Huey at work, so that he could call. Thinking maybe it was an issue with the precinct phones, she tried now on her cell.

Admittedly, for personal reasons.

 _"Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas le français. Parlez-vous anglais?"_

"Turnbull, it's me! Francesca Vecchio? You can't forget me, you dated me! And you're practically glued to my brother!"

 _"Je vous le passe. Ne quittez pas."_

The line went to the hold music, which was some kind of variation on 'O Canada'. Frannie sighed and stared at her cell phone for a long moment before hanging up. Maybe the connection was bad. Her contract was up soon, and this phone company was crap anyway.

"C'mon, Frannie, leave the man alone."

Frannie turned and eyed Ray, who seemed to be in a bizarre mood. Then again, Ray had been in some variation of a bizarre mood since getting back from his undercover assignment. Today's bizarreness featured a mix between quiet thoughtfulness and something Frannie could almost recognize, but couldn't easily place.

"What's it to you, anyway?" she asked, pointing her phone at him, even as he opened the Riv's door for her. Then she stared.

Did Ray just really open the door for her? _Really?_

"If he was interested, don't you think he woulda, oh, I don't know, shown some sign? Like not running in the opposite direction?"

Frannie was still staring at the door, but then she sneered back at him even as she was climbing in, passing a hand down his arm in thanks at the exact same time she was snapping back at him, "Hey, he hasn't run away yet! _You_ keep dragging him off to ride along with you."

"Can't drag the willing," Ray answered, with a cheerful smirk back. He closed the door to cut off the reply.

That was okay. Frannie just waited until he was settled in the driver's seat and on the road. "He's a Mountie, he's all duty-bound. If you left us alone in a room, I'll bet you he'd be proposing."

In truth, Frannie didn't count on that, but she was willing to bet she could at least get her foot back in that door. For that matter, she had liked Turnbull during their entirely brief dating thing... except, he was just too... something. Not Fraser. Not assertive enough. But since he'd come back from wherever, he'd changed, and she had a whole lot of reasons why she was willing to look again.

"Frannie..."

Ray's voice made her glance over; it was exasperated, but there was something soft in it, too. Tick one more into the bizarre column.

"What?" she asked, suddenly feeling on the defensive. "He's a _nice guy_ , Ray. He's sweet, he cooks, he's romantic. Sure, his taste in music sucks, but we can overcome _that_. He works, he's not a slob, and he's the polar opposite of Tony. What's the problem, here?"

"He's a really great guy, Frannie, but trust me: You're barking up the wrong tree."

Frannie shook her head. This again. She could almost hear the conversation about Fraser playing out between them, like it was yesterday and not years ago now. "Yeah, well, I don't care what you say. Until there's a ring on his finger, he's fair game."

Ray went to reply, eyes narrowed, then shut his mouth with a click and shook his head. "Whatever, Frannie."

"Good." She turned back forward, crossing her arms.

She thought she saw her brother smile out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked over, it was gone.

Maybe he did approve after all...


End file.
